The present invention generally relates to electrical lighting systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for maintaining the lighting systems and for monitoring energy consumption of the lighting systems.
Energy consumption in the United States has grown in alarming proportions. One concern is that indiscriminate use of energy and other resources will leave the environment and those that live in it wanting. That concern has existed at least since the oil crisis of the 1970""s, and since then American consumers and businesses have focused their attention to the current usage and future supply of energy. The government increased its demand for energy efficient systems when, in the late 1980""s and early 1990""s, the Department of Energy and the Public Utility Commission provided a financial incentive for utilities to offer Demand Side Measures (DSM) to their customers. End customers took advantage of DSM in the form of utility funded rebates used to purchase more energy efficient motors, variable frequency drives, lighting systems, and occupancy sensors. Despite the prevalence of DSM programs offered by local utilities, however, not all building managers were aware of the programs, and a small percentage of all buildings participated.
To encourage the nation""s top corporations to upgrade their facility floor space to more energy efficient lighting, the United States Environmental Protection Agency launched the Green Lights initiative in 1991. Even with the Green Lights initiative, by the end of 1996 only a small percentage of pledged space for lighting retrofit had been upgraded with new lighting technologies. Further initiatives include the Energy Policy Act (EPACT 1992), the President""s Climate Change Initiative (1993) and an Executive Order on Energy Efficiency in Federal Facilities by the year 2005. Increased market demand for energy efficient lighting products has also been stimulated by performance based contracting programs offered by energy service companies.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved facility lighting systems. The method and systems should provide an incentive for facility owners to use the improved lighting systems. Thus, the method and system of the preferred embodiments may provide for energy monitoring and maintenance of lighting systems at reduced costs to the facility owner.
The present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing in this section should be taken as a limitation on those claims. By way of introduction, the preferred embodiment described below includes a method and system for servicing, monitoring and maintaining lighting systems.
A first aspect is described for charging a fee to an end user where a service company upgrades and services a lighting system of the end user""s facility. To determine the fee, an original power consumption of the facility is determined before the lighting system is retrofitted with at least one power savings device. Thereafter, the lighting system is retrofitted with the at least one power saving device. Then, a new power consumption value is measured. Finally, the fee is charged to the end user, such that the fee is a function of a difference between the original power consumption and the new power consumption.
A second aspect is described for monitoring energy consumption of a lighting system. Power consumption of the lighting system is controlled with a lighting control unit connected with the lighting system. The lighting control unit collects power consumption data and transfers the power consumption data via a data transfer line to a control center. The power consumption data is received at a server located at the control center. The received power consumption data may then be used to calculate the fee charged to the customer.
A third aspect is described for maintaining a lighting system which includes lighting circuitry. At least one monitor monitors the lighting circuitry of at least one customer and produces at least one alarm signal as a function of the occurrence of a system fault. A data transfer line transfers the alarm signal to a control center. A server receives the alarm signal at the control center, and at least one operator coordinates service to the lighting circuitry when the alarm signal indicates that a fault exists with the lighting system.